Manchester City moved a point behind Premier League leaders Liverpool with a hard-fought victory over Bournemouth at Vitality Stadium.
City started slowly but took the lead midway through the first half when Phil Foden steered home after Erling Haaland’s shot was saved by Neto.
The visitors dominated the rest of the half but were fortunate not to be pegged back early in the second, Marcus Tavernier scuffing a shot into the ground from Antoine Semenyo’s cross before shooting wide after fine work from Dominic Solanke.
Solanke had a header punched off the line by Ederson as Bournemouth continued to apply pressure, while Haaland had another shot saved by Neto with a quarter of an hour remaining.
Second-half substitute Enes Unal headed agonisingly wide in stoppage time for the hosts, as City held on to consolidate second place ahead of crucial games at home to Manchester United and away to Liverpool in early March.
Bournemouth, now without a win in their last seven league matches, stay eight points above the relegation zone but drop a place to 14th.
Champions get job done
Pep Guardiola’s team were made to work hard for three points against Brentford on Tuesday, and they were perhaps a little fortunate to get the win from a testing encounter at Vitality Stadium.
Haaland got the all-important goal against the Bees and the Norwegian should have given the visitors the lead here, sending a right-footed shot off target after running on to Foden’s exquisite cushioned pass.
Haaland was denied by Neto midway through the first half, but Foden – who has now scored in his past five appearances against the Cherries – was on hand to guide home his 16th goal of the season. That is his joint-most in a single campaign.
John Stones, operating in a more advanced role than usual, was outstanding in the first half in particular, repeatedly marauding upfield and almost setting up Rodri for a second City goal not long after Foden’s opener.
The visitors rode their luck after half-time as Bournemouth pushed for an equaliser, with a combination of wasteful finishing by the hosts and smart goalkeeping from Ederson securing City a hard-earned three points.
City have won all 14 of their Premier League games against the Cherries – the best 100% record by one team against another in top-flight history.
Their next five league matches – all against teams currently in the top seven – will go a long way to defining their campaign.
Bournemouth fail to take chances again
Bournemouth were unfortunate not to arrest their winless run at Newcastle last time out and they made a lively start against the champions, Milos Kerkez testing Ederson with a dipping shot inside 10 minutes.
It proved to be their only effort until Ryan Christie’s shot was parried by Ederson in first-half stoppage time, but they carved out the better opportunities in the second half and should have equalised through Tavernier 10 minutes after the break.
Solanke then sent a header straight at Ederson from a corner, but the City keeper – standing over a yard behind his line – only just managed to punch the ball clear before it crossed for a goal.
Dango Ouattara dragged a shot wide in the closing stages and Bournemouth fans thought Unal had rescued a point in added time, but the Turkey international’s header only rippled the side-netting.
Only Burnley have collected fewer Premier League points in 2024 than the Cherries, who have drawn three and lost three of their six league games since the turn of the year.
However, as was the case in recent games against Fulham and Newcastle, there was enough in this performance to suggest Andoni Iraola’s team will turn the tide eventually – particularly with what looks like a favourable run of fixtures coming up next month.
